


The One With the Prop Ring

by GeckoGirl89



Series: Fake Proposals [1]
Category: Friends (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Engagement, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, F/M, Fluff, Future Fic, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Marriage Proposal, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 11:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8370703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeckoGirl89/pseuds/GeckoGirl89
Summary: The optimistic part of Joey that sounded a lot like Phoebe was telling him that Rachel wouldn't be marveling at the ring so much if she didn't want to marry him on some level. The self-deprecating part, which reminded him of Chandler, won out over the Phoebe part and told Joey that he only had himself to blame for this mess.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by this prompt that I found going around tumblr (http://dreadfulcalendarwoman.tumblr.com/post/151367867931/thecakelessachiever-deliverusfromsburb): _Imagine your OTP proposing repeatedly at different restaurants to get free food_ and these notes _#AND WHEN THE REAL PROPOSAL COMES AND THEY GET FREE ICE CREAM OR SOMETHING#PERSON A IS LIKE ‘omg that was a good one the whole speech was a nice touch where did you get this ring it looks so realistic omg’#and person B is just like ‘r u kidding me’_
> 
> For this fic, Rachel and Joey never broke up and have been together for more than a year. Monica and Chandler live in the suburbs with the twins, and everyone else is still in New York City.

_So, how did the proposal go? Did Rachel cry?! Tell me all the details soon!_

Joey sighed to himself and deleted his message from Monica before Rachel could see it. Not that she would be looking up from her "amazingly realistic prop ring" any time soon. She was still wearing it on her left ring finger and gazing at it in the light of the cab as it drove them back to their apartment. The optimistic part of Joey that sounded a lot like Phoebe was telling him that Rachel wouldn't be marveling at the ring so much if she didn't want to marry him on some level. The self-deprecating part, which reminded him of Chandler, won out over the Phoebe part and told Joey that he only had himself to blame for this mess.

When Joey and Rachel had been out one evening a month ago, they had seen a couple get engaged and get their entire meal on the house. "We could totally do that," Rachel commented, and thus the saga began. Rachel and Joey would go out on dates, and Joey would pretend to propose to Rachel to get a free meal for the both of them. At first, Joey fully supported this scheme. A Tribbiani would never pass up the opportunity for free food. But after a couple of weeks, Joey realized that he actually wanted to propose to Rachel. So, tonight he took her out to the restaurant where they had their very first "date" so many years ago when she was pregnant with Emma. Just like that night, he surprised Rachel with a bouquet of lilies. He gave a sincere speech about how much that night meant to him then and how much being with her and Emma meant to him now, and then he popped the question. Rachel, teary-eyed, said yes and Joey had believed her. A waiter came by and told them their meal was on the house, and Joey thanked him. Seconds after the waiter left, Rachel's tears instantaneously evaporated from her eyes and she complimented Joey on his "amazing acting skills" and excitedly told him that she "almost bought it." She said that the lilies and the restaurant were "a nice touch" and concluded that Joey wanted to make her reaction seem authentic by reminding her of that night. She asked him if the ring had been borrowed from the set, and Joey, befuddled and despondent at her unexpected reaction to his proposal, lied and said that it was. Rachel promised to give him back the ring after they got home so that he could bring it back to the prop department the next day and not get in trouble with the director. Just like that night so many years ago, Joey's heart was broken, and he couldn't tell Rachel how he felt.

Lost in thought, Joey only noticed that they had arrived home when Rachel started tugging on his arm. He opened his wallet and paid the cabby the fare plus a 15 percent tip. When they arrived home at the apartment, Rachel said that she was going to go into the other room to call Ross and ask him how Emma was doing since he had her for the night. Ross had wanted to spend some quality time with his daughter after being in Mexico for a paleontological dig the past three weeks. As she walked into the other room, Joey pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Monica:

_Rachel thought the proposal was fake. Will call you tmrw with the full story._

Within a minute, Monica replied to his message:

_Oh no, I'm sorry. :-( Please call me tomorrow!_

When Rachel came back into the room, Joey pocketed his phone and Rachel informed him that Emma was doing well and had apparently enjoyed the cartoon dinosaur movie Ross had selected for their evening together. Rachel looked a little wistful as she handed the ring back to Joey, and Joey actually was a good actor and didn't let his true emotions show when she placed it in his palm. At the end of the night, just like that night so many years ago, Joey lay awake while Rachel slept peacefully. Joey comforted himself with the thought that at least Rachel was sleeping next to him this time.

* * *

The next day, Joey was only scheduled to shoot one scene, and he was done thirty minutes before his typical lunch time. In his dressing room, he called Monica and told her the full story of his disastrous evening. Monica did her best to make him feel better by pointing out that Rachel seemed genuinely happy with the proposal despite not knowing it was real, and she claimed that Rachel wouldn't have seemed so lovestruck with the ring if she didn't want an engagement ring of her own. The conversation made Joey feel a little better, and he was relieved that Monica had decided to contact him last night and not Rachel. She had voiced strong disapproval of the restaurant plan, arguing that it was wrong to "rip off" restaurant owners. It would have seemed suspicious if she had contacted Rachel and been all excited about their dinner now.

In need of a pick-me-up, Joey decided to head over to Central Perk. They introduced new desserts on Wednesdays, and Joey hoped that the new muffin or cookie they offered would make him feel better.

When he arrived, Phoebe was sitting on the couch. She jumped up when she saw him and ran over to hug him. "Oh my God, tell me what happened!!! She said yes, didn't she!!! Oh my God, oh my god!!!"

Joey noticed a few heads turning their way and drew out of the hug. "Calm down, Pheebs." Joey sighed. "No, that's not what happened."

"WHAT?! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!!"

Joey cringed as even more people turned to stare at them. He glared at a group who was being particularly blatant until they looked the other way. He took a deep breath. "She thought it was one of the fake proposals."

The outrage on Phoebe's face melted away to be replaced with sympathy. "Oh, _Joey_. And after you worked so hard to make it special! You picked the same restaurant. I saw that speech you prepared, and that ring was really nice. Why didn't she get it?"

Joey and Phoebe sat down on the couch, and Joey sighed with fatigue. "She thought all of that was me being a good actor and trying to make her reaction more authentic, and she thought the ring was a prop from the show." Joey shook his head. "I really dug myself into a hole with this fake proposal thing."

Phoebe patted his arm sympathetically, and Ross walked in. Concentrating on Joey's problem, they didn't notice Ross until he spoke. "Whoa, what the hell happened to Joey when I was gone?"

Phoebe turned to face Ross and failed to notice the slashing motions Joey was making across his throat. "Joey proposed to Rachel last night, and she complimented him on his acting skills and said the ring was a really good prop! Can you believe that?"

Ross appeared baffled. "Well, yeah. It means he's getting good at the weird fake proposal thing they're doing."

Joey coughed, but Phoebe spoke over him. "But Joey actually wanted to propose to Rachel this time!"

Joey glanced away from Ross's stunned face to glare at Phoebe. "Which I was going to tell Ross when he got back from his trip, but apparently I don't need to do that, thanks to you!" Phoebe cringed at what she had inadvertently done. He nervously faced Ross, who still seemed frozen in shock. "I was going to tell you as soon as you got back. I didn't think it was the kind of thing to tell you over the phone." Joey anxiously awaited Ross's response. Ross had gotten used to the idea of Joey and Rachel since they had been together for more than a year now, but Joey had wanted to tell Ross more privately that he wanted to marry Rachel, not have Phoebe blurt it out like that.

Ross shook whatever cobwebs were in his head away and faced Joey with a sympathetic expression. "Wow, I'm sorry, man. That really sucks." Joey was relieved to see that Ross seemed purely empathetic and that his face and tone of voice didn't show an ounce of jealousy.

"Thanks." Joey frowned. "I feel like I got rejected even though I technically didn't."

"Ross, you're the one who's proposed a million times, what do you think Joey should do?"

Ross shot an annoyed glare at Phoebe. "I've proposed twice, Phoebe." Ross paused and faced Joey. "I think you should propose again, but this time make sure it isn't in a restaurant. In fact, I would avoid food altogether. That way, Rachel won't get the wrong idea."

Joey nodded at Ross appreciatively. "Thanks. Well, I guess I have another proposal to plan." Joey stood up from the couch and decided to go home to think about how he wanted to propose to Rachel. As he was walking out, Ross called out to him.

"Hey, Joey, one more thing--" Joey turned at the doorway to Central Perk to see Ross grinning at him from the couch. "Congratulations," he said sincerely. Then he smirked. "One last piece of advice-- use your own ring this time." The fact that Ross could make a lighthearted joke about Joey's accidental proposal to Rachel after Emma's birth proved more than anything else that he was okay with the idea of Joey marrying Rachel. Joey rolled his eyes at Ross's quip and left Central Perk in a much better mood than when he had arrived.

* * *

A week later, Joey takes Ross's advice and doesn't propose at a restaurant again. He takes Rachel and Emma out for the day on the Mr. Beaumont. Emma is properly outfitted in a life preserver jacket, of course, even if the boat is idling in the dock. There is food, but it's just the sandwiches Joey packed in the cooler before he left. As Rachel comments on the beautiful sunset, Joey replies that it's nothing compared to her. Rachel is confused by the fact that Joey doesn't sound like he's next to her and gasps when she sees Joey kneeling on one knee. Joey says that he never imagined that they would end up here when they went sailing for the first time together several years ago and that he feels like the luckiest man in the world to be with her. Rachel cries happily when he tells her that the proposal last week was "never about the filet mignon; it was always about you Rach." Before he can even pop the question, Rachel is yelling "yes" over and over, and Joey can't resist kissing her. Joey's hands tremble as he slides the engagement ring on Rachel's finger, and she clings to him in joy. Joey and Rachel feel someone poking at their side and turn to see Emma, who attempts to stretch her tiny arms to hug her Mommy and Uncle Joey at the same time. When they return home, Emma, who is a bit too young to understand what a proposal is, tells her Daddy that her Uncle Joey asked her Mommy something that made her really happy. Ross says that Uncle Joey is good at making Emma's Mommy happy, and Rachel smiles and tells Emma that Daddy is right. Joey stands with his arm around Rachel and soaks in the heartwarming family moment, too full of love and bliss to say anything.


End file.
